TradersProxy vs VPS
A VPS hosts your platform remotely. TradersProxy routes your local platform through a relay near the broker. Different problems — and both can work together.
This is the question most traders land on after the first week of research. The short answer: a VPS solves uptime, a proxy solves route quality. Many serious traders need both.
Quick answer
Use a VPS if your trading platform must run 24/7 without depending on your home computer or internet connection. Use TradersProxy if your platform is reliably on but your home ISP route to the broker is congested or long. Use both for the best possible setup.
TradersProxy at $9–$25/mo is significantly cheaper than most VPS plans near broker datacenters. It does not replace a VPS for uptime — it solves a different problem.
What each tool actually solves.
| Consideration | Trading Proxy (TradersProxy) | VPS near broker DC |
|---|---|---|
| Where MT4 runs | On your local device — your own computer | On the VPS server — accessed via remote desktop |
| Platform uptime | Depends on your home computer and internet being on | 24/7 regardless of your home setup — server runs independently |
| Route quality | Relay node co-located in Equinix with broker — 2–5ms final hop. Replaces congested ISP path. | VPS-to-broker route depends on VPS provider's datacenter choice. Good if VPS is in same Equinix facility. |
| Setup complexity | 5 minutes — enter proxy host and port in MT4 connection settings | Rent VPS, install MT4, configure settings, set up remote desktop access, configure EA — 1–3 hours |
| Monthly cost | $9–$25/month | $20–$80/month depending on provider and location |
| Monitoring | Your charts are on your local screen — no remote desktop required | Remote desktop to VPS required to see charts, modify EAs, or intervene manually |
| EA execution | EA runs on your device — faster access to local data files and resources | EA runs on VPS — needs to be installed and updated there separately |
| Best for | Traders with reliable home setups who need route quality improvement | Traders who cannot keep their home computer on, travel frequently, or run multiple EAs that must never miss a candle |
The best setup: both stacked together.
TradersProxy and a VPS are not competing products — they operate at different layers and stack cleanly. The optimal setup for a serious trader who runs EAs 24/7:
In this setup, the VPS solves uptime (EA runs regardless of what happens at your home). TradersProxy solves route quality (the VPS-to-broker path goes through a co-located relay rather than whatever public internet route the VPS provider uses to the Equinix facility).
This is not a theoretical setup — it is what latency-conscious traders with EAs already do. TradersProxy is the missing layer that makes a good VPS into a great one.
When TradersProxy alone is enough.
You do not need a VPS if:
- Your home computer stays on during trading hours
- Your home internet is reliable (broadband, not mobile)
- You trade manually and can intervene if something disconnects
- You run EAs with reasonable position hold times (not tick-level scalpers requiring continuous operation)
In this case, TradersProxy alone optimises the route quality and reduces latency. The $9/mo Starter plan covers Starter users with one node. Standard and Pro plans add secondary nodes and more platform connections.
When you also need a VPS.
Add a VPS if:
- You run EAs that must execute 24/7 including while you sleep or travel
- Your home internet connection has reliability issues
- Power cuts are common in your location
- You need your MT4/MT5 to be in a specific region (e.g., you are in Asia but need a UK-located platform for LD4 broker)
See the prop firm network guide for the recommended VPS + TradersProxy stack for prop firm challenge trading.
Proxy vs VPS questions answered.
It depends on the problem you are trying to solve. If you have power cuts, travel frequently, or run EAs that must run 24/7 without your computer being on, you need a VPS. If your computer is reliably on and your problem is a bad route from your home ISP to the broker's datacenter — high latency or high jitter — a trading proxy solves that without the cost and complexity of a VPS. Many traders benefit from both.
Yes, and this is the best setup for serious traders. The VPS runs MT4 close to the broker's datacenter. TradersProxy further optimises the path from the VPS to the broker's matching engine. The traffic path becomes: your device (for monitoring) ? VPS (platform runs here, 24/7) ? TradersProxy relay ? broker server. The relay's co-location advantage applies equally whether the client is your home device or a VPS.
No. With a VPS, your MT4 or MT5 platform runs on a remote server. You access it via remote desktop. TradersProxy does not host your platform — your platform stays on your local device, and TradersProxy is a relay point in the network path. The two products solve different problems and can be combined.
TradersProxy is simpler, cheaper, and easier to set up than a VPS, and it works better for traders who want to monitor their trades locally on their own screens rather than via remote desktop. If your internet connection is reliable and your problem is route quality rather than platform uptime, TradersProxy alone is sufficient. If you travel, have power instability, or run EAs that cannot be interrupted, a VPS is also required.
Platform uptime. A VPS runs MT4 or MT5 24/7 regardless of whether your home computer is on, whether your home internet is down, or whether you are travelling. TradersProxy is a routing layer — if your computer or internet connection goes down, the relay cannot keep your platform running. For EAs that must trade continuously, a VPS is the right answer for uptime. TradersProxy then improves the network path for that VPS.